West Acre Mill was a four storey mill; and built of weatherboard over a brick ground floor under a Norfolk pantiled roof. The mill house adjoined the mill but the roof line was slightly lower. The ground floor walls of the mill dated from the 1400s and their bricks and shaped flints suggested that the materials probably came from the nearby old West Acre abbey.

At one time the mill was running 4 pairs of stones but these were later reduced to 2 pairs, one of which was right handed and the other pair left handed. On pair also consisted of a Derby Peak runner on a French burr bed stone.

One beam was dated in the 1760s.

Transcript of above letter from Edward Hammond Fryer to Ada B. Fryer from his brother Thomas' home in England where Edward was employed as a munitions worker and following the death at Passchendaele of their son, Donald Robert Fryer.

Mill House
West Acre
Swaffam
Norfolk

Feb 23 -1918

Dear Ada,
Have got quite a lot of letters this week. Tell Joyce and Dora I am very pleased to hear from them. I had one from Fred Gibbins a week or two ago, answered it , and got another one from him today. He hopes to soon get leave when he will look me up. Had a nice letter from Allan. Am sorry to hear that your head is giving you so much trouble and hope that the trip to Sydney will do you good. If you could get to Inverell for a week or more I think it would be well. I know you would like to see Jane and the rest. How is Ella? I think with you that we must let Fred go too. If I had been in his place I should have wanted to do the same. I am glad we are of the same mind, to give and do all we can for honour and right. I believe in our side, we are fighting to keep our country and freedom for our children and theirs, and win or lose, we shall have done what we could and in the years to come, our boys and girls will recall how Don and his cousins Jack and Tony and many more they knew fought in the Great War. No need to feel ashamed when it is talked of for 50 years to come. I do not think it will go on much longer, and the end will not be what we hoped for - the complete defeat of S...!!! But we must keep on hoping for the best.

I think Fred will be too young to se anything of it, though if he gets as far as Salisbury Plain (main camp in England) it will be a good trip for him, but there it is, no one can say how soon and how long the war will go on. We had 2 Air Raids last week on Sunday and Monday nights- a lot of ..but the people get very nervous now, all of them in this house sit up all night waiting to see if a bomb will fall in the backyard. I go to bed and sleep as well as I can with the noise of the guns. As I am deaf on one side, I lay over, so do not hear much. Good thing to be deaf some times. I tell them that 150,000 killed and hurt is not many, but if 5 million, 5,000,000 of people I wonder how much we must bear. We're the people..so stick together. I suppose everyone thinks they will be the next. All the same, it is very trying to those with family. I am so glad you are all out of it. I do not see the war but I see the shadow of it and it is black indeed. And now goodbye with love to you dear wife - all be of good courage, all will be well.

E. H. Fryer

(PS) I got 3 copies of a photo of Don taken about July last year. He sent one to Gertie Fryer and I borrowed it. I send you one. He looks such a fine big man.

Lease and Release in Trust. (1) Abraham Sewell, senior, late of Shouldham, now of Swaffham, grocer; Joseph Ransome, late of Wereham, now of Great Yarmouth, miller; surviving Trustees of Lease and Release dated 13-14 Nov 1741. (2) John Birkbeck of King's Lynn, banker; Joseph Loombe of Narborough, miller; Abraham Sewell, junior, of Swaffham, grocer; Richard Ransome of Westacre, miller; John Langley, junior, of Wereham, woolcomber; John Hallam of Middleton, Norfolk, miller; Thomas Gales of King's Lynn, druggist; Zachariah Clarke of Deaver, Norfolk, yeoman.
Two parchments held at Norfolk Recoird Office dated 1st - 2nd July 1784

MILLERS OUTING.      The employees of Mr. A. Lewis's Gayton and Westacre mills had their annual outing on Thursday 5th inst., to Yarmouth.  The company went to East Winch by road, and completed their journey by rail in special saloons.  The varied attractions of the seaside were heartily enjoyed, and home was reached about 10.30 p.m.
Lynn Advertiser - 13th August 1909

OUTING. On Friday 12th inst., the work people at Gayton and Westacre mills had their annual outing through the kindness of their employer Mr. A. Lewis. They went by road to East Winch station, and from there to Yarmouth by rail, two carriages being reserved for their use. They were accompainied by their wives and friends, and all spend an enjoyable day at the seaside. The homeward journey was made without a hitch, and Gayton was reached by 10 p.m.
Lynn Advertiser - 19th August 1910

In the 1950s the mill was surveyed by Mr. P.C. Dewhurst of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings. He later commented that the waterwheel and the four level stone-driving frame that allowed for the simultaneous driving of all four pairs of stones, were two outstanding examples of the wheelwright art of the last century.

The mill was pulled down single handedly by its owner William Wright in 1959 as it had been unused for some 20 years and was becoming dangerous.

William Wright was one of five tenant shareholders in Gayton Mills Co.

The Mill house remains.

Curiously, the 10 foot waterwheel was also left in situ and although seriously decayed, remained for several years.
It was had slotted iron rims, with 8 wooden arms, pegs and paddle boards.

The pit wheel was 10 - 12 feet in diameter, 8 armed and iron morticed.

Joseph Everett was the son of Robert Everett snr, a gentleman from Wymondham who had married Sarah Frith in Derbyshire (she mentions her brother Philip Frith). They had 4 children, including brothers Joseph and Robert jnr.

Joseph Everett married Martha Bloomfield in 1823 and they had a son, Joseph Frith Everett c.1824. However they both died, leaving Joseph Frith Everett an orphan at the age of 2. When Joseph Everett died, his brother Robert Everett who was running the nearby Narborough_watermill took over the running of West Acre as well.

I remember many times in the late 50s and early 60s entering the mill despite being forbidden to do so. It was very unsafe and my younger brother and I had to proceed very carefully.
The person living in the Mill House from sometime shortly after the second world war to the early 60's was a Major Hitchins.  He was very eccentric and used to pursue us small boys through the very overgrown grounds of the mill. He used to keep bees in hives in the house and leave the windows open year round so they had access.
Eventually The Westacre Estate served with him an eviction order as the house was in such a poor state of repair. 
The house was taken on in 1965 by Michael Buxton.
Chris Boone - 27th April 2011

1741: Richard Ransome, miller

1791: John Ransome

Feb 1791: 38 years of a 63 year lease advertised for sale

1824: Joseph Everett, miller

c.1826: Joseph Everett died

c.1826: Robert Everett, miller, also at Narborough

White's 1845: Robert Everett, corn miller

1851: William Butler, journeyman miller employed by Robert Everett and living in Mill Cottage

White's 1864: Richard Curtis, miller & farmer

March 1872: Edward Lewis takes over the mill

White's 1883: Edward Lewis - also Gayton towermill

Kelly's 1892: Edward Lewis - also Gayton towermill

Kelly's 1896: Henry Lewis - also William Wright, manager; also Gayton towermill

Kelly's 1900: Henry Lewis - also William Wright, manager, owner Henry Birkbeck - High House, West Acre
Kelly's 1900: Thomas Fryer, estate agent, Mill house

Kelly's 1904: Henry Lewis - also William Wright, manager, owner Henry Birkbeck - High House, West Acre

Kelly's 1908: Alfred Lewis - also Gayton & Heacham

1909: Alfred Lewis, miller - also Gayton

Kelly's 1912: Gayton Mills Co.

Kelly's 1922: Gayton Mills Co.

Kelly's 1912: Gayton Mills Co Ltd. - also Gayton

Kelly's 1912: Gayton Mills Co Ltd. - also Gayton

Kelly's 1912: Gayton Mills Co Ltd. - also Gayton & Narborough watermill

c.1947-1962: Major Hitchens, Mill House

1959: Mill pulled down by Wiliam Wright

1960: William Wright

1965-1990: Michael Buxton